


Underneath The Mistletoe

by lookingfortherainbow



Series: Advent Calendar Fics of 2020 [16]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: American Harry, British Louis Tomlinson, Christmas Dinner, Christmas Fluff, Enemies to Lovers, First Kiss, Fluff and Humor, Holidays, M/M, Mistletoe, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:27:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28173162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lookingfortherainbow/pseuds/lookingfortherainbow
Summary: Harry's sick of waking up at his neighbor's loud car motor starting. Louis has no one to spend Christmas with. They find a way to resolve both problems.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Series: Advent Calendar Fics of 2020 [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2037256
Comments: 4
Kudos: 41





	Underneath The Mistletoe

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by a post I saw on that neighborhood app. People really love ranting on there. I wanted to make this longer, but ya know, work obligations and all that. *sigh*  
> Hope you enjoy.

For the fifth consecutive time in a week, it was happening again. 

At five in the morning, Harry was being awoken by the loud rumble of his neighbor’s motor. The volume and force of it was shaking his house, and his cranium. He’d had enough. 

When he burst from his house with only his fuzzy robe to keep him warm over his pyjamas, he immediately regretted it. It was frigid outside, snow on everyone’s lawns. In his haste to get to his neighbor’s house, he’d forgotten boots, sleep still blurring his vision as he tripped through snow in his slippers. 

The fury of having been woken again, when he worked late nights at the diner in town, kept him somewhat warm, though, so he banged on his neighbor's door with a clenched fist. The car was empty as usual, since his neighbor, Louis, whom he only ever waved to when getting mail after the man had moved in in the summer, preferred to keep the engine running for ten minutes before actually getting in and leaving. 

A few seconds later, the door opened, and Harry was met with a wide eyed Louis. 

“Hi,” he said, though it came out as more of a question. 

He looked over his outfit, and Harry became even more irritated at the little smirk that pulled at his lips. 

No matter how gorgeous the man looked, even at five in the morning, Harry couldn’t keep his frustration in. “Dude, I am asking you to please not leave your car running for so fucking long. I work long hours at night, and waking up at five in the morning to your car’s motor shaking the whole street, when I should be waking up at ten, is really not working for me. Your car is loud as hell, and I just want some fucking sleep.”

Harry didn’t mean for his voice to break with exhaustion, but it did and the humor on Louis’ face disappeared instantly at his words. 

“Hey, I’m really sorry, mate. I’ll, um, I’ll see what I can do,” Louis reassured him in his Yorkshire accent, concern on his face. 

“Great. Have a goodnight, or morning, or--whatever,” Harry mumbled, walking off to his house, his toes now frozen. 

He ignored the guilt that built up in his stomach as he closed his eyes and saw Louis’ exhausted eyes, and grim expression behind them. 

*

After that, it continued, but at a lesser degree. Harry had looked outside to see Louis had driven down his driveway to have his car warm up on the side of the road. Though it appeased him somewhat, the shaking gone, he still woke up at the sound. The only way Harry wasn’t having an aneurysm was because he had finally gotten Christmas eve and day off, and he could sleep all he wanted during the day then.

He just didn’t understand how someone could work every day, and still have a shitty car like that. But then again, he’d always had plenty of money, and his parent’s help with things to cushion him, so who was he to judge? 

He felt bad about his outburst, because, really, what had he been expecting Louis to do? Cars that old sometimes made horrible noises. It wasn’t exactly Louis’ fault. He also felt embarrassed of himself now, to the point that he timed when Louis would be getting mail so he could avoid him. It was just that the holidays seemed to sometimes bring out the worst in him. His shifts at the diner lengthened, people were especially irritable with him when he made mistakes on their orders, and tips were almost nonexistent compared to other times in the year. But he didn’t want to become a scrooge and let that affect his relationships with others. Especially when Louis seemed to be sort of a loner. His house had no decorations where Harry’s was tastefully lit up, and when Harry had gotten a glimpse inside, while on his doorstep, he found it to look quite bare. 

That was why, on Christmas day, when he awoke to his alarm at ten instead of to Louis’ car rumbling, he’d decided to bring over some baked goods. It seemed Louis also had the day off, and the least Harry could do was bake him something. 

Gemma and his mom would be coming over later in the evening to spend Christmas at his house. So, he spent the day cooking up a storm, so immersed in his work he didn’t realize how the day darkened, until he set everything on the table, steaming and ready, and heard a knock on the door. He let in his sister and mom, everyone hugging and laughing, happy to have a day to catch up. 

It was warm in Harry’s house, and the small Christmas tree was lit up with the multiple gifts he’d gotten his family. The table was piled with a spread of mashed potatoes, ham, cranberries, bean casserole, gravy, and, of course, creamed peas. 

“You’ve outdone yourself, baby,” his mom laughed, sitting down as he pulled a chair out for her. 

“Yeah, Harry, I think this spread is enough to compete with mom’s,” Gemma agreed, sitting down as well. 

“Well, that doesn’t mean it can compare to the taste of her cooking. I’ll let you both judge me harshly on that,” Harry grinned, sitting down next to Gemma, across from his mom. 

They were just about to dig in to the food when he saw Louis walking up his drive, mail in hand. 

Fuck, he’d forgotten about bringing cookies to him.

Louis looked cold in the snow that was falling, his face lit up by the force of light on Harry’s twinkling deer decorations that stood his lawn. He looked up, and caught Harry’s eye through the window. Harry’s heart sank when the man immediately ducked his head again, retreating to his house. 

“Would you guys mind if I said there might be a fourth person?” Harry asked, idea forming in his head.

“Shut up! You have a boyfriend? Harry, why didn’t you tell us?” Gemma exclaimed, slapping him on the arm. 

Harry laughed, “No, I meant my neighbor. I kind of snapped at him about his loud car, and I don’t think he’s celebrating with anyone today. I think it’d be good if I invited him over.”

They encouraged it, so Harry put his boots on and went over to Louis’ dark house. 

When he opened the door, he looked like he’d aged in years, and Harry felt even worse about everything. 

“My car still bothering you?” Louis asked, wincing as if Harry was about to yell at him. 

“No, and I’m really sorry about my outburst that day. I should’ve thought a bit more before leaping into action.”

Louis looked surprised. “For what it’s worth, your frog pyjamas were amusing to look at as you yelled at me,” Louis said, crossing his arms. 

Harry merely cleared his throat awkwardly. He noticed where the opened paper had been set on his worn coffee table, an orange glow from one lamp the only thing lighting up his small house. “So, what would you say about joining my family and me at my house for dinner?” 

Louis’ eyebrows rose even more. He looked around his empty house. “Well, I don’t know if I can get away for long from my huge obligations to the _raving_ party I have going here, but I think I could swing by.”

Louis looked at Harry’s lips as a huge grin took over his face. “Perfect.”

And it was. Louis got along with his family famously, and Harry found the man to be absolutely hilarious once he got comfortable. After dinner, he helped Harry clear the table, insisting it’s the least he could do. 

They washed dishes together--Harry washing, Louis drying. 

“Look, I was going to apologize about my car. I’ve been meaning to get it fixed, it’s just after I bought that house I’ve been trying to catch up on payments. What little money I had left from working long hours at the airport, I spent on my siblings’ presents.”

“How come you aren’t celebrating with them today?”

“They’re all the way in England. I can’t afford a ticket, you know?” Louis said, sadness seeping into his tone. 

Harry dried his hands, turning Louis around by his arms to face him. “Louis, you have nothing to be sorry for. I should’ve never been so rude with you. And I’ve been trying to find a way to make it up to you. Like, I’ve been meaning to talk to you more, make you feel more welcomed to the neighborhood, but I did the opposite. I was going to bring you cookies today as an apology, but I think inviting you over was a much better idea.”

Louis’ eyes were bright, looking more alive than Harry had seen them recently. He nodded, and a smirk was starting to grow. “It was, but. . .”

“But what?” Harry let out a little confused laugh.

“But, I think kissing me would be the best apology, actually.”

“Actually?” Harry choked, stunned at Louis’ bold words. 

He rolled his eyes at Harry, pulling him into his space, and carding a hand through his hair. _“Obviously,”_ he whispered, pointing to the mistletoe that Harry forgot he hung in the kitchen. 

His breath tickled Harry’s lips before he closed the gap. 

Harry let himself melt into the softness of his mouth, the gentle, warm pressure of him against his lips. The sensation made him hot, and his stomach fluttered. 

When Louis pulled away, Harry dove back in for more, causing Louis to laugh. Harry could live off that sound.

Weeks later, he gifted Louis with money for a new motor, and Louis gave him the gift of eternal love by asking him to be his boyfriend. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to anyone who's read the fics, commented, left kudos. Really motivates me more than you know. If you'd like to reblog the little fic post I made for this series, [click here](https://andtheywerebandmates.tumblr.com/post/636606796721717248/its-december-and-i-wanted-to-do-something)


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